5 Amazing Benefits of Confirmation

The Holy Spirit has always held a special place in my heart, and Confirmation is His sacrament. One can easily misunderstand or not realize the amazing benefits of this sacrament. It might even seem unnecessary. After all, don’t we get the same graces from Baptism?

Maybe the timing adds to the confusion. Technically, a baptized Catholic of any age can receive it. In the early Church and Eastern Rite Churches, infants receive(d) it immediately after Baptism. The Church now suggests waiting at least until the age of reason, so about seven years old. However, most dioceses in the Roman Rite maintain the practice of Confirming teens ages 12 to 17. So, they receive this sacrament after eight years of catechism classes, making it sort of like graduation.

But can we really compare Confirmation to graduation? After graduation, some young adults go on to college, but others never want to step foot in a school again. On the contrary, after Confirmation, a young adult is only getting started on their spiritual journey.

The more we learn about this sacrament, the more we realize its importance. It can have truly amazing benefits.

First Benefit

While Baptism brings us into God’s family, making us His children, Confirmation helps us grow and mature. We can’t remain children in the Faith forever. We need the power of this sacrament, confirmation in God’s grace, so that we can grow into spiritual adulthood and put our faith into action.

“Therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment” (Heb. 6:1–2).

Second Benefit

This sacrament imprints an indelible spiritual mark on the soul. Along with Baptism and Holy Orders, this sacrament can only be received once, and it leaves a permanent imprint on the soul. This imprint goes with us into eternity; it can never be removed, not even by mortal sin. The spiritual mark received in Baptism shows that we belong to Jesus Christ. Confirmation completes Baptism and imprints a second mark on the soul, sealing us with the Holy Spirit. This seal is a promise of divine protection and the power to witness to Jesus Christ and His Church.

“It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22). Saint Ambrose said, “God the Father has marked you with his sign, Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed the Spirit in your hearts as a pledge."

Third Benefit

Confirmation bestows “the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit” as once granted to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost” (CCC 1302). It prepares us for the universal Christian mission to spread the Kingdom of God in our own sphere and in our own unique way. We are set apart from the rest of the world and called to be that light that shines in the darkness around us. It is our responsibility while on this earth—no, it is our privilege—to come to know, love and serve our amazing God, our Lord and Savior. Through this Sacrament, the Holy Spirit brings the flame of God’s love to our hearts and a longing to spread this fire.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” – Isaiah 6:8

Fourth Benefit

Confirmation strengthens and arms us for battle. Through this sacrament one “becomes stronger with the strength of a new power and thus begins to be a perfect soldier of Christ” (Catechism of the Council of Trent). In Ephesians we are encouraged to put on the armor of God that we may resist evil and stand in all things good. The Scripture verses go on to explain various pieces of armor but in reality, the armor is not material. It is spiritual. We’ve each faced trials, attacks, and temptations. We’ve made mistakes, falling on the battlefield, and we’ve known victory in the spiritual realm. With this sacrament, we receive the armor we need to win victory after victory, growing in spiritual strength and holiness. The confirmed receive power from God to boldly profess faith in Christ! It makes us soldiers of Christ. Confirmation makes us battle ready.

The Council of Trent teaches that “for Confirmation has not been instituted as necessary for salvation, but that by virtue thereof we might be found well-armed and prepared when called upon to fight for the faith of Christ…”

Fifth Benefit

Confirmation binds us to Christ, making us more like Him, animated by His Holy Spirit (see CCC 1303). It’s not easy being a Catholic in this world. Jesus showed us the way, but He also built His Church and instituted the sacraments so that He can provide all the help we need to be faithful. We need this sacrament. It is transformational, making the confirmed more Christ-like, more like the saints He calls us to be.

“Those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).

For a fictional story that dives into the sacrament of Confirmation, check out Fire Starters. Through characters that teens can easily identify with, this book addresses many questions young people have as they approach this sacrament.

What if I don’t feel worthy to receive the sacrament? Should I put it off? How will it prepare me for the world? Is Confirmation like graduation from high school? Should a person feel something during the sacrament, the way the apostles did at Pentecost? And for those who’ve received the sacrament already: Why don’t I feel different after receiving the sacrament? Can it sometimes not work?

In addition to helping readers understand the amazing benefits of Confirmation, this story will inspire them to consider: What things in your life do you find so important that you would be willing to fight for them? Is your faith one of them? Are you prepared to live your faith when the culture misunderstands it? Are you ready to defend your church and your right to live according to your faith? Are you ready to choose Jesus Christ over your own comfort or even your life?

Discussion questions, Surrender Novena, and Gifts of the Holy Spirit are in the back of the book.

About the author: Theresa Linden is the author of award-winning Catholic fiction. One of her great joys is to bring elements of faith to life through a story. She has over a dozen published books, which all have the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval. Several of her books won awards from the Catholic Press Association. Her articles and interviews can be found on various radio shows and magazines, including EWTN’s The Good Fight, The National Catholic Register, Catholic Digest, Today's Catholic Teacher, and Catholic Mom. Her books are featured on CatholicTeenBooks.com and Catholic Reads. A wife, retired homeschooling mom, and Secular Franciscan, she resides in northeast Ohio with her family.

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